Monthly Archives: April 2024

Pitching In

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1 Chronicles 23-25

Do you ever come up to chapters like these and think, “Oh no! Not more names!” I hope you take time to read through them anyway. God must have included them in His Word for a reason more important than just to make you miserable! (and it can be miserable trying to pronounce those names).

Here’s my take away from reading them this morning. So many people were assigned responsibilities in the running of the temple. Hundreds of people are listed here; men, their sons and families. Many people had ownership in the ministry – not just the priests who offered the sacrifices.

I think it’s a model for the Church in 2024.

The preacher shouldn’t be doing everything. He may be controlling and find it hard to share the responsibility. Or he may be doing everything out of necessity because no one is willing to help. Doesn’t matter why. He should not be doing everything.

A few of the faithful shouldn’t be doing everything. The same people ought not to be holding the leadership positions in multiple areas for years on end.

Bring on the committees! Involve as many people as you can. Then involve some more.

I go to a church that has an average attendance of less than 150. But almost 100 of us took part in our second annual “Spring Fling,” a free festival we’ve organized for the community, complete with hot dogs and hamburgers, egg hunts, inflatables, a dunking machine, contests, and a good old fashioned cake walk. Teenagers and their parents, young parents, grandparents, and even a few great-grandparents shared responsibilities and took ownership of this ministry. It was awesome!

I think that’s what we see here in the chapters I read today in 1 Chronicles. Many people doing their part, joining with other people doing their part, to make the ministry pleasing to God. I believe that’s what God intends for all churches.

So I ask you: are you pitching in? Or are you a spectator? Are you doing your part? Or are you sitting back and forcing someone to do what God has called you to do? I would encourage you to get involved. Serving God with a family of faith is what God intends, and I promise… it’s awesome!

Psalm 51

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There are several precious verses in this psalm that I have committed to memory over the years. Somehow knowing David wrote this after his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, his grief over facing his sin, speaks to me.

VERSE 7: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

As someone who grew up in Ohio I know how white snow can be. When the sun shines on the sparkling flakes covering the ground, it’s so white it hurts the eyes. You look across a snow-covered field and all you see is pure, glistening white. Whatever lies beneath is completely covered. There is nothing whiter than new fallen snow shimmering in the sun. I want to be like that it God’s eyes.

Hyssop reminds us of the salvation of Israel when it was used to put blood on the doorposts of their homes before the exodus. The salvation of God makes us as clean and pure as new-fallen snow in the sunlight.

VERSE 10; Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

I pray this verse on my way to church on Sundays. I want my worship of God to come from a clean heart, my spirit steadfastly focused on Him so that my worship is acceptable to Him and brings Him joy.

VERSE 12: Restore to me the joy of my salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

On days when I am discouraged or feel over-whelmed, I pray this verse. It’s on those days I realize I’ve lost the joy of knowing my sins are forgiven. And losing that joy opens the door for discouragement and the overwhelming feelings I experience. Often, the hardest part of this verse to pray is the “grant me a willing spirit” part. Praying that means I have to let go of the discouragement and negative thoughts and feelings, and allow God to sustain me. It’s the “not my will” kind of prayer I find difficult to pray sometimes. But I pray this verse, and God always restores the joy.

VERSE 17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

When during a time of worship I find myself thinking about whether or not to raise my hands, clap, or smile, I remind myself of this verse. God looks on my heart. And I want my heart to be broken because of sin, repentant and humble, knowing that is worship He will not despise.

Finally, VERSE 15: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

May this be true in my life every day. May I be quick to praise the Lord. He deserves nothing less!

Good Intentions

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2 Samuel 4

Recab and Baanah must have expected a different outcome. Wasn’t Saul David’s enemy? So it would make sense that Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth would be David’s enemy, too. David’s power was increasing. Saul’s camp was weakening. Racab and Baanah, from Saul’s camp, made the decision to break ranks and defect to David’s side. And just so David would understand their sincerity, they killed Ish-Bosheth and brought his head to David.

“Look what we have done for you, King David. We know you will welcome us and throw a party in our honor because we have defeated your enemy.” (not exactly a direct quote if you’re wondering)

Recab and Baanah actually gave God credit for the murder (4:8). They were covering all their bases.

David did not accept their well-intended good deed. Instead, he ordered the execution of Recab and Baanah.

I am reminded the same kind of thing is happening today. So many religions, so many individuals believe that if they are good people, if they go to church occasionally, if they treat people with respect and don’t kick the dog, God will welcome them into heaven and throw a party in their honor. It makes sense, in the eyes of many, that God owes them heaven because they do things in His name. Their intentions are good. God should accept that.

There are those who believe people from every religion – or no religion – will be welcomed into heaven for their good intentions. They tell themselves a loving God wouldn’t send a nice guy to hell. They seem to say, “Take what we give you, God, and be grateful.”

Jesus tells us:

Many will say to me in that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.” (Matthew 7:22-23)

Here’s the thing. When Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” He meant that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one – not even really good people – comes to the Father except through Jesus. In fact, there is no such thing as a really good person because all have sinned. There is no one righteous – not even one.

Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior and allowed Him to place His goodness on you? If not, you may stand before Him on that day holding Ish-Bosheth’s head with all the good intentions in the world. But it will cost you your life.

When Hope Dies

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1 Samuel 15-17

Samuel must have had so much hope that Saul would be a great leader, blessed by God. The young king started out so well. But it wasn’t too long before Samuel began seeing the signs that surely disappointed him:

Saul’s impatience. Saul’s audacity to offer sacrifices. Saul’s lies. Saul’s excuses for disobedience.

Oh, Saul often said the right things, and I believe Saul probably meant what he was saying at the time. But Saul’s commitment to God didn’t go very deep. In the end, Saul became his own god, and Samuel had to wash his hands of Saul. God was moving on, and Samuel had to choose whether to follow God or stay with Saul. Samuel chose God.

But Scripture tells us Samuel mourned his loss. Saul had become a friend, perhaps like a son to Samuel. Samuel was a fan, rooting for the success of the king. But whatever hope Samuel had placed in Saul died.

And it hurt.

What do you do when hope dies? How do you handle the hurt and disappointment, perhaps betrayal? Even though Samuel had placed his hope in Saul, the ultimate hope Samuel had was in God.

People fail us. Circumstances change. We aren’t even beyond disappointing ourselves. But God never fails. His plans are always best.

And if we have our hope in Him, we have our hope in the One who will never let us down. When hope dies, we grab tighter to His hand and realize hope hasn’t really died at all.

Protect the Presence

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1 Samuel 4

The ark of the Lord was the Lord’s Presence during the Old Testament. It wasn’t like today when God actually lives in the hearts of Christians. But reading chapter 4 has me thinking.

Israel was at war with the Philistines, and lost an important battle to the enemy. Eli, the High Priest was at home anxiously waiting for news. When the messenger got there, the news wasn’t good.

The first thing Eli heard was that the battle was lost. The second thing he was told was that his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, had both been killed. The news must have cut Eli to the core. Can a parent receive worse news?

There was a third part to that report. The ark of God had been taken as plunder by the enemy.

When (the messenger) mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died… (verse 18a)

Eli’s pregnant daughter-in-law was then given the report. She was told about the defeat of the Jewish army and the deaths of her husband and his brother. To that, she found out her father-in-law was also dead. Again devastating news, this time for a young woman starting her family.

She also was told the ark of Lord had been captured by the Philistines. She immediately went into labor and died in childbirth.

The awful news of the loss of life understandably grieved Eli and his daughter-in-law. But what seems to have tipped the scales and threw them over the edge was the news of the captured ark of God.

Now, here’s what I’m wondering. Like I said the ark was the presence of God in Israel. The presence of God in 2024 is in your heart and mine. If His presence was removed today, would that news tip us over the edge or would we even notice?

Obviously, if the Holy Spirit decided to pack it all in and return to heaven, we’d notice. We’d be in hell.

But do we understand that our sin separates us from God? Some people don’t worry about that thinking once saved always saved, and God’s promise to never leave or forsake us. But that doesn’t mean God will follow us into sin if that’s where we are headed. He won’t forsake us. But we can certainly forsake Him.

I imagine all of us have experienced times when we feel closer to God than other times. Why is that? Does God move, or do we?

What causes the change except sin? God cannot and will not exist where sin is. And if we are holding sin in our hearts, where do you think God is? It’s at those times I might not know where He is, but I sure know where He’s NOT.

If I refuse to confess a sin, and then wonder why I feel I’m not as close to God as I used to be, I need to wake up. The problem isn’t that I don’t “feel” close to God. The problem is I’m NOT close to God because of my sin. It has nothing to do with my feelings and everything to do with my sin.

Oh, that we would be as heartbroken as Eli and his daughter-in-law over the thought of the loss of God’s presence. May we protect the Presence by moving nearer and nearer to Him through reading Scripture, praying and obeying. May we recognize sin and repent every time.

And may we never get comfortable living with the distance between our Holy God and ourselves.

Protect the Presence.

“I Don’t Need Church”

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Judges 18

You hear people say all the time that you don’t need to go to church in order to be a Christian. Of course, church attendance isn’t salvation. But there are some very important reasons why a true Christian ought to want to worship, fellowship, and serve with other believers on a regular basis.

In Judges 18 the Danites were looking for a place to live. So, of course, they wanted to find the best land, and land occupied with people who could be easily defeated in battle. They found Laish. Here’s what they found:

  1. the people were living in safety
  2. they were unsuspecting and secure
  3. the land lacked nothing
  4. the people were prosperous
  5. they lived far from other people “and had no relationship with anyone else.”

I think that describes many people who call themselves Christians but don’t go to church. They feel secure in their relationship with God. They claim they are fine the way they are. Why would they need a church?

When the Danites attacked, the people in Laish had no one to help them, no one had their backs, and they were soundly defeated.

I don’t think I need to paint a clearer picture. You and I are under attack. I choose to go to war against the enemy shoulder to shoulder with people I know who are committed to Jesus like I am. I know they have my back. And I have their’s.

The added blessing of standing with these people is the joy of simply knowing and loving them. A church can be a family you choose. We laugh at my church. We cry. We struggle. We encourage each other. We hold each other accountable. We even just hang out on occasion. And we always pray for one another. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Plus, and not the least of the reasons to go to church is the privilege of corporate worship, hearts in unison with love toward and in awe of our Lord and Savior, the act of like minds focused on our Heavenly Father. It’s a mini-heavenly gathering every week.

If you are one who says they don’t need church, I would say you are wrong about that. When you isolate yourself and deny yourself the relationships with people who love the Lord, you leave yourself wide open for Satan’s arrows.

And, my friend, you are neglecting your responsibility to care for them, too. It’s not all about you. You are needed as much as you need them.

Don’t say you don’t need to go to church in order to be a Christian. The truth of the matter is you need church very much in order to be the Christian God wants you to be.